i had a plan.

i didn't know if it would work, but i had to try.

"pull in here."

amanda pulled into the parking lot of a small strip mall.

a half dozen local businesses.

"why are we here?"

"i have an idea."

i got out of the car.

"you go to that pub at the end there and i will join you in a few."

she looked at the digital clock on the dash.

"its like noon."

"i need a drink."

i left.

she was sitting at the back of the pub in a booth for two.

she slid a beer my way.

"beer do?"

"for now?"

i downed the beer in one mouthful.

i got the bartender's attention.

he gave me a strange look when he got to the table.

"what'll it be, mac?"

"you sell pitchers of beer."

he nodded.

"can i smoke here?"

he grabbed an ashtray from another table.

"as long as the cops don't show."

like they would in this dump.

"a couple pitchers of beer and a bottle of whiskey."

"can't bring you a bottle, mac."

"then pour it up in a couple beer glasses," i snipped, a little sarcastically.

i could tell this guy was a rocket scientist.

"you expecting company?"

i was getting irritated.

too fucking many questions.

"does it matter?"

"that's a lot of booze, mac."

amanda spoke up.

"can we have what he wants?"

she reached in her purse and pulled out some cash.

she tossed a couple hundred bucks on the table.

"that cover it?"

he nodded, took the cash and left.

"fucking idiot," i muttered.

he returned with the booze and change.

"keep it," i muttered.

i lit a smoke.

"so what is your plan?" amanda wondered.

i drank a half glass of whiskey.

"we have to stop the murders. magissa gets stronger every time she kills and i am sure she will kill more often now, that she is eating for two."

amanda lit a cigarette.

"two what?"

i snickered.

i liked this freaky bitch.

"from all the shit i read last night, she needs the hearts to get her strength up and to avoid being sent back to the fiery river where she came from."

"so you believe she is this, what was it?"

"ammit. some egyptian demon god or something."

"fuck."

amanda drank some of the whiskey.

"fuck, this is cheap shit."

i shrugged.

i didn't care about the fucking watered down whiskey.

"i would never have believed any of the shit i read last night, but after what i have been through."

amanda nodded.

"i saw it too, remember."

she dragged heavy on the cigarette.

"so how do we stop her?"

"well there is only one way to stop her. we have to kill her.

i think she will continue to kill and what we saw last night will just become a natural thing in town.

i have to figure out a way so that i can see what she is doing. right now, she controls that because she is so much stronger than i am, so i have to get stronger."

amanda looked very concerned.

"fuck, jack. does that mean what i think it means?"

i nodded.

"i have to do what she does. she choose me because she knew i was smarter than those she picked in the past, and she knew i would not kill.

or at least she hoped i wouldn't."

amanda drank more whiskey.

"jesus, jack. can you do that?"

i drank a glass of whiskey.

"what choice do i have?

it's either that or i sit around, watch her kill over and over until, whatever is inside of her, pops out and eats my heart.

or i can try to kill myself."

amanda shook her head.

"that's not an option. you are the only chance to stop her."

"won't work anyway. she has to keep me alive until the demon spawn is born or fucking hatched or whatever."

we sat in silence for a few minutes.

"can you do it, jack.

i mean, can you kill and rip someone's still warm heart out and fucking eat it?"

she actually seemed to be getting a little turned on.

she was fidgeting and i knew she was rubbing her crotch.

i ignored it.

" i have no choice. just have to decide who."

"but what about your plan?"

i took a deep breath and lit another cigarette.

"i don't know if it will do any damage or just piss her fucking off even more."

amanda didn't seem to be listening.

she was looking to the front of the pub.

"fuck. we got a problem here."

i looked to the front of the pub.

two cops were talking to the bartender and he was pointing toward us.

"fucking prick."

"he must have heard us talking," amanda snipped.

"fucking asshole must've called the cops. What do we do now?"

how the fuck did i know?

the cops approached our booth.

they looked at the booze on the table.

"bit early, isn't it?"

i looked up.

"i didn't know there was a starting time on drinking."

"i think we got a smart ass here."

there were two cops. one older one and one, i am sure, was new to the force.

i shook my head.

"not a smart ass. just having a drink with my girlfriend."

amanda smiled.

i think that turned her on.

i just prayed she didn't have some kind of orgasm.

"is there a problem, officer?" she gasped.

i think she was having an orgasm.

"the bartender heard you talking about the murders," the older cop informed me.

"is that against the law, now?"

the officer shook his head.

"no, but he seems to think that you might be connected in some way."

i smiled, shaking my head.

"do i look like a murderer.

no. we were just talking about what we felt the murderer might be."

amanda continued.

"an ammit. an ancient egyptian demon, who ate hearts."

the young officer laughed.

"you think the murderer is a demon. fuck, you are weird."

the older officer glared at the younger one.

"go wait in the car."

"what?"

"just go. NOW."

"fuck," he sputtered, as he headed through the pub.

the older cop turned back to us.

"so," he said, as he pushed in next to me.

"you think you can hide in the back of some shit hole bar and plan to kill me."

slowly the cop changed form.

i felt a hand tighten on my leg.

"i see everything you do, jackie. remember that."

magissa looked across at amanda.

"i am so going to enjoy eating your heart. i will tear it out of your chest while you are still alive and the last image you will have is me savouring your sweet heart."

i heard a click of some kind.

amanda was smiling.

she leaned forward.

"fuck you, bitch."

amanda's arm was a blur, as it swung up from under the table.

the next second, a knife of some kind was imbedded into magissa's head.

"like i said, fuck you, bitch."

we could hear magissa's laughter as the form changed again.

back to the older officer.

"oh, shit."

amanda slumped back in the seat.

we both stared at the dead officer.

"hey. what is going on back there."

"nothing," amanda snapped back.

"mind your own fucking business."

i heard the bartender mutter, "bitch."

amanda was shaking as she lit another cigarette.

i wasn't sure if it was from fear or excitement.

"now what?"

"fucked if i know," i muttered.